A measurement systembased off the number 10, the size of the earth, and proprties of water. It was intruduced by French revolutionaries with the intention of creating system that was logical and easy to use, and because the previous system had been based on the feet of the king, whom they had killed.

In practical terms, one metre is a pace, half a litre is a large drink, which ways about half a kilogram, and all temperatures below -20 celsius and above 35 celsius are unbearable.

Theoretically all major nations except the united states use the metric system. In practice, all nations including the united states use a mixture of the metric system and older units.

Scientists generally use the metric system almost exclusively, but the average man on the street still finds it a bit abstract.

A system of measurement used by most of the world and propagated by pompous and pathetic Europeans/Asians/etc. who lack understanding of mathematics.

While you will find most socialist, war-losing Europeans talking about how the metric system is too hard for Americans to understand, is funny because the metric system is in place because of EASE OF USE. The imperial system of measurement is far more difficult and requires more thorough knowledge. That 12 inches are in 1 foot, 5280 feet in 1 mile. While the rest of the world was too idiotic to comprehend that, they developed a system of 10s to help them feel better about losing wars.

The imperial system has a main divisor of 2, while the metric system has a base of 10.

The metric system can not be visualized in any way, while any person can say that something is an inch, a foot or even a mile at the slightest glance.

The metric system was the reason for the Mars climate orbiter crash of 1999, which goes to show, it's not exactly as incredible as the surrender monkeys on the other side of the earth wish it was.

An obnoxious system of measurement that, contrary to popular belief, Americans know, but don't see the need to waste billions, or time, on implementing. The metric system uses decimals and units of ten because fractions are just so much more convenient than whole numbers.

Canadian: Americans are too stupid to use the metric system.
American: Did you write that on the internet?
Canadian: Of course, stupid American.
American: Why didn't you use that global system of interconnected computer networks that Canadians invented?
Canadian: Eh?

The special move commonly used by experimental band Indiephone during instances of mortal combat.

During a spirited performance of their hit Metrixxx, Orpheus Higginsigginsabottle-Smyth (the EU High Comissioner for Units at the time), jumped onto the stage and began to verbally abuse frontman The Ridiculous Sleeve for what he called his uneuropean propaganda.

The High Comissioner was not heard from until 3 days afterwards, when he emerged, naked and shaking, from a sewage pipe near Cardiff. When asked to recount his ordeal, his only words were "They went metric on my arse".

Something that America will never be able to muster the intelligence to use.

Canadian: Why don't you guys use the metric system?
American: We don't know how.
Canadian: It's simple. There are 10 millimeters in a centimeter, 10 centimeters in a decimeter, 10 decimeters in a meter...
American: *Brain overheats and explodes*